Former gubernatorial candidate and Kentucky Senate President David Williams told a radio program he had no idea there were possible problems brewing in the agriculturedepartment when he asked Richie Farmer to be his running mate.

     Williams's comments to Kentucky Sports Radio (heard here on WCLU from 10-noon daily) Wednesday were his first since a scathing state audit of the department two weeks ago of Farmer's eight years as agriculture commissioner. Williams told  Kentucky Sports Radio host Matt Jones that he chose Farmer, a former University of Kentucky basketball star, because he was the most popular political figure in the state at the time.

     Republicans Williams and Farmer lost to Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear and running mate Jerry Abramson in November. The state auditors discovered what they said was misuse of state resources during Farmer's administration.